Drop wire for warping machines and the like



June 29, 1943. J. J. KAUFMANN 2,323,282

DROP WIRE FOR WARPING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 18, 1942 'Y lwer'.-

JL/ Jhwwfymm Patented June 29, 1943 DROP WIRE FOR WARPING MACHINES AND THE LIKE John Jacob Kaufmann, Elkins Park, Pa., assignor to Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company, `Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application september 1s,1942, serial No. 458,760

(c1. ziim- 8 Claims.

This invention relates to drop Wires or detector elements used in stop motions of warping machines and the like, It is, of course, well known that the drop Wires or detector elements used inthe stop motions of warping machines and the like are in many respects similar to the drop wires used in the warp stop motions of looms. There are, however, certain differences in the problem presented in the making of a satisfactory drop wire when the same is to be used in a warping machine or in any other type of machine in which a sheet of warp is passing therethrough at a relatively high speed. It is well known that when the warp travels Vat a high speed through an eye in a metallic member, such as a drop Wire or the like, the Warp will quickly cut through the metal and therebybring about the destruction of the member. Y. y

Recourse has been had to the use of Yporcelaininserts in the eyes of drop wires used in' warping machines, and these proved to bereasonably satisfactory, but the same were imported mainly from certain sections of Europe which are now inaccessible on account of the prevailing war. By reason of this situation, various Yattempts have been made'to provide a satisfactory substitute for the drop wire's'provided with porcelain eyes. For example, it has been suggested to reinforce the eye portions of the drop wires by means of metal grommets, but these have not proved satisfactory because if made hard enough to withstand the Wear they are diicult to form and to secure in place.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an 'improved form of drop wire for use in warping machines and the like, which may be inexpensively manufactured and which will serve as an eective substitute for the drop wires provided with porcelain inserts at the eye portions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drop wire of the character aforesaid, which while made of relatively soft material is, nevertheless, so constructed and arranged as to have a relatively long period of usefulness, and which will tend to resist the wear of the war-p end passing through the eye portion.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the drawing forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, enlarged, of a drop wire for the stop motions of warping machines, said drop wire embodying the main features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of theyupper portion thereof but looking toward the opposite face;

Fig. 3 is an elevational Yview of the upper portion of the drop wire shown in Fig. 1 in a preliminary stage of its manufacture;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View illustrating the upper portion of the drop wire and the manner in which the same is engaged by the warp end which passes through the eye thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 illustrating certainV features of the formation of the eye portion of the drop wire.

It should, of course, be understood that'the description and drawing herein are illustrative merely, and that various Vchanges and modifications may .be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, in the particular em-A bodiment of the inventionk therein shown, vthe .drop wire is made from a thin flatstrip of metal suitably punched'and formed to bring the same to the desired outline and shape. The body portion of the drop wire may be of any preferred Vshape and may be provided With suitable slots as may be required by the particular stop motion .in connection with which the drop lwire is used.

As shown, the body portion Ill'of the drop wire isv provided with a centr'ally disposed'slot II the upper end vof which is defined by an inclined marginal edge I2. This type of drop wireis ordinarily used in electrically controlled stop'motions as will, of course, be readily apparent vto those familiar with this art. y l

The upper end of the drop wire is initially punched to provide an elongated tongue portion I3 below which the strip is slitted as at I4 and I5, and the metal of the strip is pressed out of the initial plane thereof,'t he central portion I6 between .the slits I4 and I5 being pushed in one direction, and the outer portions Il and I8 being pushed in the other direction, out of the main plane of the strip.

The tongue portion I3 is bent around to form a loop I9 which is preferably shaped somewhat similar to that of a rope grommet, vthat is to say, the portion of the loop I9 thus provided, which is engaged by the warp end 2U, will be of a curved shape in cross-section, see Figs. l, 2, and 4. This curvature will not ordinarily be very pronounced, and is somewhat exaggerated in the drawing for the purpose of illustration.

The part of the tongue portion i3 which ex-V tends beyond the part thereof which Vis used in forming the loop I9, bears against the flat portion 2i of the stock above the depressed portion I6 and is spot welded as at 22, at this point to the flat portion 2| of the stock. The portion 23 of the tongue I3 which extends beyond the portion which is spot welded to the portion 2l is bent inwardly into the depression I6 hereinbefore described, thus avoiding `any possibility of fouling of adjacentwarp 'ends on the end '23 of the' tongue portion I3 of the drop wire.

The tongue portion I3 is relatively wide so as to provide an extended bearing surface for the Warp which passes through the eye end, thereby serving to increase the life ofthe drop wire.

The operation of the drop wire is'the same as that of the drop wires commonly used in Warping machines and the like.

By the foregoing arrangement there is provided a drop Wire, for stop "motions of warping machines and the like, which may be readjly'and quickly made in automatic machines, Whichvdrop Wires-'are' inexpensive to'rnanufacture; vand -'which will H'serve as effective `-substitutes -for the' drop 'wiresheretofore used with porcelain Vinserts in 'the eye portions, y

lI claim: A

:1. A drop Wire, for warping-machines ardfthe likefmade'of 'a Lthin flat'strip of V"metal having the "upper end'thereof provided 4with "a Vtongue portion bentjaround i'nlo'op'formation toprovide an 1 eye 'through Awhich the warp end ex tends, "said lloop portion'bein'g curved'in transverse'section.

2. 'A dr'op wirefforzwarping; machinesandthe like, 'made of a thin flat strip of.' metal having Vthe Hupper end thereof v"provided withfaitongue portion 'bentar'ourid inioop formation to provide "an e'yeV throghwhich' the' vwarpen'd extends, said loop portion being curved` in `transverse section, f the vvb'o'dy portion, immediately below 'the' ey'e por- 'Ati'oli being formed' to p- IOvidel'a centrally y'disposed ,Y 're'c'e'ss' 'inv'vhich' the' 'e'n'd "of' the' tong'ue'portion'is "positioned i' n '3."A'd1`p"wire,"for warp'irig'inachines' and the 'centrally disposed `recess i'n' which the ofthe `4. 'A' drop `w`i'r`e, 'for' warpingy machines'an'd' the like, made of a thin flaltstrip'of 'I'n'etal' having" the upper end thereof provided with a tongue portion bent around in loop formation to provide an eye through which the warp end extends, said loop portion being curved in transverse section, the body portion immediately below the eye portion being slitted and formed to provide a centrally disposed recess'in which .theen'd of 'f the tongue portion is positioned, andthe 'tongue portion being permanently secured near its end to the body portion.

5. A drop "wire,`for warping machines and the like, made of a thin iiat strip of metal having the upper end thereof provided with a tongue portionlbent round in loop formation to provide Lan eye through which the warp endv extends, said loop portionbeing curved in transverse section, the body portion immediately below the eye portionbeing slitted and formed to provide a centrally disposed recess in which the end of the tongue portion isI positioned, and the tongue portion 'being permanently s'ecured'near yits end to l positioned.

- 7. `A drop'wire,'forwarpingmachines andthe like, made or a V'thin at stripl of metal having ythe 'upperend thereof provided with'a tongue portion bent around in -loo'p formation to prov-ide an eye .through which the warpend' extends,

. thebo'dyportion immediately belowftheeye por'- tion being iormedto'providea centrally disposed recessin'whihthe end ofthe tongue 'portion is positioned, andthe t'on'g'ue'portion bein'g permanently secured near its^"end' to 'the body" portion. l

8. A drop wire,`for`wa`rping machines andthe like, made of `'a thin flat"strip of 'metal 'having the upper end` thereof provided "with a' tongue 4portion bent' around in loop formation to provide an eye through which `the warp en'd' extends, theibody' portionirr'imediatelyY below" the e'ye portion being formed to provide'a eentrally disposed 'recess in *which the erid or the' tongue,l portion is positioned, 'and' the' tongue' portid'being"per-y manently secured' near its' end to the' body" portion by spot welding. K v

JOHN JACOB-KAUr'i/n'irIN` 

